Clearwater man arrested on child sex charge has history of similar accusations

CLEARWATER — Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies have arrested a 48-year-old Clearwater man with a history of child sex abuse accusations on a charge that he molested a girl under the age of 12 in 2009.

Henry Cavaliere was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Safety Harbor, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. He was being held without bail at the Pinellas County jail on a charge of lewd and lascivious molestation.

It is the third time child sex abuse charges have been brought against Cavaliere in three years, according to Pinellas criminal records.

Child pornography charges were brought against him in September 2009, but were altered to possession of obscene material, according to court records. Cavaliere received probation in that case.

Charges for possession of child pornography filed in April 2009 were not pursued by prosecutors.

He also was accused of fondling a child in Orange County in 1997, but the charge was reduced to battery and he received probation.

And he was arrested by Clearwater police in 1995 on a charge of sexual assault against a victim under the age of 16, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records. He was convicted of a lesser charge and received probation.

Cavaliere is not listed in the state database of registered sex offenders.

Pinellas detectives said anyone with information about other possible victims should call (727) 582-6200, or to remain anonymous call (800) 873-TIPS.